Central Basin Water District board may fire General Manager Tony Perez for payments to unlicensed board member

COMMERCE >> Officials with a regional water board could vote Thursday to remove their general manager because he approved mileage reimbursements and car allowance payments to board member Art Chacon, who hasn’t had a driver’s license since 2003.

Central Basin Water District General Manager Tony Perez also signed off on a $16,000 payment to a woman injured in a 2010 car accident that was caused by Chacon. Additionally, Perez agreed that Chacon should receive $66,000 in workers compensation payments for injuries he allegedly suffered in the accident.

Mark Grajeda, general manager for Pico Water District, called Perez’s approval of payments to Chacon questionable.

“If the guys want to go drinking tonight will he pay that? If the guys want to go party, will he pay that? Should he make a house payment or a car payment (for the directors)?” Grajeda said. “I find it difficult to understand how (Chacon) receives a car allowance if he can’t drive.”

Chacon, 48, a board member who lives in Commerce, has been convicted twice of driving under the influence and hasn’t had a driver’s license since 2003, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

His conduct has also angered fellow board members who could vote to censure him during Thursday’s meeting.

In an interview published online Wednesday by the Hews Media Group, Chacon said the move to oust Perez was a mistake.

“(This) will be exposing the district to millions in litigation if they fire Perez, not to mention making themselves the absolute laughing stock of the Southeast area,” Chacon said.

Director Leticia Vasquez said she will attend a rally outside the board headquarters in Commerce at 9 a.m. Attendees will call on Chacon to resign and ask the District Attorney’s Office for an investigation of the payments to him, according to a press release from Vasquez’s office.

The board’s closed session agenda calls for appointment of an interim general manager. The special meeting, which also will include a discussion of the district’s mileage and car allowance plans, was called by Vasquez, and directors Robert Apodaca and James Roybal.

“We owe it to our ratepayers to find out why the general manager did this without even notifying the board,” Vasquez said. “He never told any of the board members.”

Even though the bill was Chacon’s, Perez said he paid $16,000 to Wawanesa Insurance Co. because he had a legal analysis saying the district should settle.

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The district’s insurance company refused to pay the $16,000, said Robert Gokoo, attorney for the district’s insurance company, the Joint Powers Insurance Authority of the Association of California Water Agencies.

But Perez said Curtis Parvin, an attorney for the district, said the district’s insurance company should have paid the money.